Heterocyclic aromatic compounds useful as growth hormone secretagogues

A compound according to Formula I:

• including all stereoisomers and pharmaceutically acceptable salt forms thereof, wherein:
• R1 and R1a are independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, alkyl, aryl, alkenyl, alkynyl, arylalkyl, cycloalkyl, cycloalkylalkyl, alkoxyalkyl, arylalkyloxyalkyl, aryloxyalkyl, heteroaryl, cycloalkylalkoxyalkyl, heteroarylalkyl, cycloheteroalkyl and cycloheteroalkylalkyl, wherein the alkyl, aryl, alkenyl, alkynyl, arylalkyl, cycloalkyl, cycloalkylalkyl, alkoxyalkyl, arylalkyloxyalkyl, aryloxyalkyl, heteroaryl, cycloalkylalkoxyalkyl, heteroarylalkyl, cycloheteroalkyl and cycloheteroalkylalkyl may be optionally substituted by 1, 2 or 3-substituents selected from the group consiting of halogen, —OR8, —OC(O)R8, alkyl, phenyl, phenoxy, halophenyl, —CF3, —OCF3, —N(R8a)C(O)(R8) and —N(R8)(R8a);
• Xa is selected from the group consisting of
• R5 and R5a are independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, alkyl, aryl, alkenyl, arylalkenyl, alkynyl, arylalkyl, arylalkynyl, cycloalkylalkyl, alkoxyalkyl, aryloxyalkyl, arylalkyloxyalkyl, heteroaryl, cycloalkylalkoxyalkyl, —SO2T1, —SO2N(T1a)T1, —N(T1a)T1, heteroarylalkyl, halo, alkylamino, cycloalkylamino and J1,
• wherein alkyl, aryl, alkenyl, arylalkenyl, alkynyl, arylalkyl, arylalkynyl, cycloalkylalkyl, alkoxyalkyl, aryloxyalkyl, arylalkyloxyalkyl, heteroaryl, heteroaryloxyalkyl, cycloalkylalkoxyalkyl, or heteroarylalkyl may optionally be substituted with 1 to 3 J1;
• R5b is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, alkyl, aryl, alkenyl, arylalkenyl, alkynyl, arylalkyl, arylalkynyl, cycloalkylalkyl, alkoxyalkyl, aryloxyalkyl, arylalkyloxyalkyl, heteroaryl, cycloalkylalkoxyalkyl, heteroarylalkyl, —SO2T1, —SO2N(T1a)T1 and J1,
• wherein alkyl, aryl, alkenyl, arylalkenyl, alkynyl, arylalkyl, arylalkynyl, cycloalkylalkyl, alkoxyalkyl, aryloxyalkyl, arylalkyloxyalkyl, heteroaryl, heteroaryloxyalkyl, cycloalkylalkoxyalkyl, or heteroarylalkyl may optionally be substituted with 1 to 3 J1;
• R3 is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, alkyl, aryl, alkenyl, arylalkenyl, alkynyl, arylalkyl, arylalkynyl, cycloalkylalkyl, alkoxyalkyl, aryloxyalkyl, arylalkyloxyalkyl, heteroaryl and cycloalkylalkoxyalkyl,
• wherein R3 and R5 taken together may form a spiro ring;
• R4 is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, alkyl, aryl, alkenyl, arylalkenyl, alkynyl, arylalkyl, arylalkynyl, cycloalkylalkyl, alkoxyalkyl, aryloxyalkyl, arylalkyloxyalkyl, heteroaryl and cycloalkylalkoxyalkyl,
• wherein R4 and R5a taken together may form a spiro ring;
• J1 is selected from the group consisting of nitro, —(CH2)vN(T1a)C(O)T1, —(CH2)vCN, —(CH2)vN(T1a)C(O)OT1, —(CH2)vN(T1a)C(O)N(T1b)T1, —(CH2)vN(T1a)SO2T1, —(CH2)vC(O)N(T1a)T1, —(CH2)vC(O)OT1, —(CH2)vOC(O)OT1, —(CH2)vOC(O)T1, —(CH2)vOC(O)N(T1a)T1, —(CH2)vN(T1a)SO2N(T1a)T1, —(CH2)vOT1, —(CH2)vSO2T1, —(CH2)vSO2N(T1a)T1, —(CH2)vC(O)T1, —(CH2)vCH(OH)T1, —(CH2)vCHN(T1a)T1, cycloheteroalkyl and heteroaryl;
• T1, T1a and T1b are independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, lower alkythioalkyl, alkoxyalkyl, aryl, arylalkyl, heteroaryl, heteroarylalkyl, cycloheteroalkyl and cycloalkyl,
• wherein alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, lower alkythioalkyl, alkoxyalkyl, aryl, arylalkyl, heteroaryl, heteroarylalkyl, cycloheteroalkyl and cycloalkyl of which may optionally be substituted with 0-3 substitutents selected from the group consisting of halogen, hydroxyl, —NR8fC(O)NR8gR8i, —C(O)NR8fR8g, —NR8fC(O)R8g, —CN, —N(R8f)SO2R8g, —OC(O)R8f, —SO2 NR8fR8g, —SOR8h, —SO2R8j, alkoxy, —COOH, cycloheteroalkyl and —C(O)OR8k,
• wherein T1 and T1a or T1 and T1b taken together may form a 3-8 membered heteroaryl or heterocyclo ring;
• Y is selected from the group consisting of
• Xc is selected from the group consisting of a direct bond, —NR6a and —O—;
• Q is selected from the group consisting of carbon and nitrogen;
• Q1 is selected from the group consisting of cycloalkyl, heterocyclo, aryl and heteroaryl;
• R7 and R7a are independently selected from the group consisting of H, alkyl, —CF3, phenyl, aryl, arylalkyl, and cycloalkyl,
• wherein one or both of R7 and R7a independently taken together with one or both of R9 and R10 may form an alkylene bridge of 1 to 5 carbon atoms;
• or R7 and R7a taken together may form a 3-7 membered ring;
• R6, R6a, R6b, R8, R8a, R8d, R8e, R8h, R8j and R8k are independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, alkyl, alkenyl, cycloalkyl and aryl;
• Xb is —NR9R10;
• R9 and R10 are independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen and alkyl,
• wherein the alkyl may optionally be substituted with 1 to 3 substitutents selected from the group consisting of hydroxyl, C1-C10-alkanoyloxy, C1-C6 alkoxy, phenyl, phenoxy, C1-C6 alkoxycarbonyl,
• wherein R9 and R10 taken together may form —(CH2)tXd(CH2)u—, —O—, or —N(R6b)—;
• Xd is C(R8h)(R8j);
• m and n are independently 0 to 3;
• t and u are independently 1 to 3;
• v is 0 to 5;
• and
• z is 1 to 3.